Tilt | Etymology, Origin And Meaning Of Tilt By Etymonline

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Origin and history of tilt

tilt(v.1)

Middle English tilten "fall down, topple" (mid-14c.); also transitive, "push over, cause to fall" (late 14c.); probably from Old English *tyltan "be unsteady," tealtien, from tealt "unsteady, unstable," from Proto-Germanic *taltaz (source also of Old Norse tyllast "to trip," Swedish tulta "to waddle," Norwegian tylta "to walk on tip-toe," Middle Dutch touteren "to swing").

The original senses are archaic or obsolete. The modern meaning "cause to lean, tip, slope" is from 1590s perhaps on the notion of "be or be made likely to fall over." The intransitive sense of "lean forward, back, or to one side; move into a slanted position" is by 1620s. Related: Tilted; tilting.

also from mid-14c.

tilt(n.1)

"a combat between two armed men on horseback, each trying to throw the other from the saddle; the exercise of charging with a spear sharp or blunted, against an antagonist or a mark;" 1510s, of uncertain origin. Perhaps from tilt (v.1) in the older sense of "push over, cause to fall," but the noun seems to have been originally used in reference to the barrier between the combatants, which suggests possible connection with Middle English noun tilt, teld, telte "covering of coarse cloth, an awning" (mid-15c.).

Middle English Compendium derives this from Old English teld "awning, tent," which Watkins says is related to beteldan "to cover," from Proto-Germanic *teldam "thing spread out."

Hence figurative full tilt "at utmost impetus, at full speed and direct thrust" (c. 1600).

also from 1510s

tilt(n.2)

1560s, "act, fact, or condition of being tilted;" by 1837 as "a sloping position;" from tilt (v.1). The pinball machine sense is by 1934, hence the noun in the sense of "device in a pinball machine to detect and prevent cheating," which was used figuratively by 1953 in reference to a person become aware that something is amiss. Tilt-hammer, a powerful machine tool, is so called by 1773.

also from 1560s

tilt(v.2)

"to joust, charge with the lance," 1590s, from tilt (n.1). Related: Tilted; tilting. The figurative phrase tilting at windmills is suggested in English by 1798; the image is from Don Quixote, who mistook them for giants.

So saying, and heartily recommending himself to his lady Dulcinea, whom he implored to succour him in this emergency, bracing on his target, and setting his lance in the rest, he put his Rozinante to full speed, and assaulting the nearest windmill, thrust it into one of the sails, which was drove about by the wind with so much fury, that the lance was shivered to pieces, and both knight and steed whirled aloft, and overthrown in very bad plight upon the plain. [Smollett translation, 1755]

also from 1590s

Entries linking to tilt

atilt(adv.)

"tilted," 1560s, from a- (1) + tilt (v.).

tip(v.1)

c. 1300, tippen, "knock (something) down, overturn, topple, knock askew" (transitive), a word of uncertain origin, possibly from Scandinavian (compare Swedish tippa "to tip, dump"), or from a special use of tip (v.3). Also compare tilt (v.1) "fall down, topple."

The intransitive sense of "fall over, be overturned" is from mid-15c.; that of "lean or slant from the perpendicular" is by 1660s. The transitive sense of "turn from a perpendicular position, tilt, cant" (a bottle or other solid object) is from 1620s. Related: Tipped; tipping. A register from 1301 contains the nickname Johanna Tippelevedy. 

To tip the scales at "weigh (so much)" is from 1879; by 1891 in the figurative sense of "overcome one consideration by a greater," on the notion of "depress one end of the balance by excess of weight." Tipping point attested by 1972. To tip (one's) hand "reveal one's intentions" is by 1907, an image from poker-playing.

As a noun, "act of tipping or tilting, inclination, fact of being tipped," by 1849. As "place where a wagon, etc. may dump a load" is by 1862.

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Trends of tilt

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

More to explore

cant"pretentious or insincere talk, ostentatious conventionality in speech," 1709. The earliest use is as a slang word for "the whining speech of beggars asking for alms" (1640s), from the verb in this sense (1560s), from Old North French canter (Old French chanter) "to sing, chant,"slant1520s, "to strike obliquely" (against something), alteration of slenten "slip sideways" (c. 1300), perhaps via a Scandinavian source (compare Swedish slinta "to slip," Norwegian slenta "to fall on one side"), from Proto-Germanic *slintanan. The intransitive sense of "to slope, topitch"thick, tenacious, resinous substance obtained from tar or turpentine, wood tar," late 12c., pich, piche, from Old English pic "pitch," from a Germanic borrowing (compare Old Saxon and Old Frisian pik, Middle Dutch pik, Dutch pek, Old High German pek, German Pech, Old Norse bik) joustc. 1300, "fight with a spear or lance on horseback with another knight; tilt in a tournament," from Old French joster "to...joust, tilt, fight in single combat," from Vulgar Latin *iuxtare "to approach, come together, meet," originally "be next...jostle1540s, justle, "to knock against" (transitive), formed from jousten "to joust, tilt, fight in single combat" (see joust (...emoticonHumor is often denoted with the smiley face :-) which is more obvious if you tilt your head to the left....careenThe intransitive sense of "lean, tilt" is from 1763 of ships; in general use by 1883....differencemid-14c., "condition or relation of being other or different," also "any special mode of non-identity," from Old French difference "difference, distinction; argument, dispute" (12c.) and directly from Latin differentia "diversity, difference," from differentem (nominative differefightOld English feohtan "to combat, contend with weapons, strive; attack; gain by fighting, win" (intransitive; class III strong verb; past tense feaht, past participle fohten), from Proto-Germanic *fe(u)hta (source also of Old High German fehtan, German fechten, Middle Dutch and Dutcompile"to collect and present information from authentic sources, to make or form by putting together in some order written or printed material from various sources," early 14c., from Old French compiler "compile, collect" (13c.) and directly from a Medieval Latin special use of Latin

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‘cite’Page URL:https://www.etymonline.com/word/tiltCopyHTML Link:<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/tilt">Etymology of tilt by etymonline</a>CopyAPA Style:Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of tilt. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved December 18, 2025, from https://www.etymonline.com/word/tiltCopyChicago Style:Harper Douglas, "Etymology of tilt," Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed December 18, 2025, https://www.etymonline.com/word/tilt.CopyMLA Style:Harper, Douglas. "Etymology of tilt." Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/tilt. Accessed 18 December, 2025.CopyIEEE Style:D. Harper. "Etymology of tilt." Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/tilt (accessed December 18, 2025).CopyRemove AdsAdvertisement

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